Shirley Institute
Opened in April 1922 at Didsbury, near Manchester.
It owes its origin to meetings held in Manchester, during the period of the war, at which it was generally agreed that many investigations were needed in the cotton industry, and that any extensive system of research necessitated an improvement in the facilities for education. As the result of these meetings, it was decided to form a body called The British Cotton Industry Research Association which would be open to British corporations and firms engaged in any of the branches of the cotton industry and to corporate federations.[1]
1982 Described as "an international research and consultancy centre specialised consultancy centre specialising in textiles and fibres". Alasdair Maclean was appointed managing director.[2]